Archaeological Inventory of County Meath, compiled by Michael J. Moore, (Dublin 1987), p.37
276. Ferganstown and Ballymacon

OS 25:7:2 (NPL) Not marked. OD 100-200 N 890, 697

Cist. Wilde (1850, 163) refers to a small tumulus at Knockminaune. Bowl Food Vessel and flint arrowheads are recorded from a cist here (JRSAI 1970, 127).  SMR 25:16

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Archaeological Inventory of County Meath, compiled by Michael J. Moore, (Dublin 1987), p.182
1829 Ferganstown and Ballymacon
OS 25:7:2 (59.5, 42.8) Not marked OD 100-200, N 8905, 6990
Bridge - References to a bridge at Ferganstown go back to fourteenth century. One arch survives on S bank of Boyne (OPW file). SMR 25: 17                           (Babes Bridge)

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Excavations 1999, Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, Ed. By Isabel Bennett, Bray 2000.
p. 236
685. Farganstown / Ballymackon. Cut Features. 288221 268351. 98E602 ext.

Monitoring associates with the Navan Sewerage Augmentation Scheme was carried out in January 1999 in between the rest-trenches associated with sites SMR 25:28 and 25:29 (Nos 699 and 686 below), along a short stretch of the Navan to Donore road.


Features identified were a series of cuts into the natural, filled with material that contained charcoal, ash and animal bone.  These features extended over a distance of 12m and were directly opposite a previously unidentified archaeological site just inside the roadside field boundary to the north-west.  This site was a low earthen bank, roughly square and c.20m by 20m. SMR 25:28 was a Bronze Age cemetery recorded by Wilde in 1850, but it would appear that the newly identified site is not directly related to this. It is reasonable to assume that the archaeological deposits identified in the trench are related to the low earthen enclosure described above. A sample charcoal from one of the features produced a radiocarbon date of AD 585-675 (95% probability)
Clare Mullins, 31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare.

Excavations 1999, Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, Ed. By Isabel Bennett, Bray 2000.
686. Ferganstown / Ballymackon
P. 236-7
Environs of ‘Mound Site’. 288803 268801 SMR 25:029 99E0011
A test trench was excavated along the Navan to Donore road, just south of SMR 25:29, in January 1999, as part of the Navan Sewerage Augmentation Scheme.  The site in question was mound, destroyed in the 1970s, which contained a long cist and inhumation.  The test-trench was c. 150m long and was inserted along the route of a proposed sewerage pipe.  Archaeological features had been recorded in the pipeline trench c. 200m to the west (see No. 685 above). No archaeological features were noted during the excavations of this trench.
Clare Mullins, 31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare.

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Excavations 1999, Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, Ed. By Isabel Bennett, Bray 2000, p.237


687. Ferganstown and Ballymackon. Souterrain. 99E0178
On 30 January 1999 a souterrain passage was exposed at the south-west corner of a partially constructed sewerage treatment plant in the townland of Ferganstown and Ballymackon, south of the River Boyne, c. 3km north-east of Navan town.  The souterrain was largely intact and consisted of a single drystone passage, leading roughly west into a simple beehive chamber.  A limited excavation began in April 1999, with four trenches inserted across the site area.  The aim of the excavation was to examine the areas of the site to be affected by the proposed development.


Trench A was across part of the souterrain passage.  The passage walls were constructed from roughly shaped limestone rocks.  The walls slanted inwards and were crowned by seven large lintels.  The passageway was 3.3m long by 1m high and angled down towards the beehive chamber, which measured 2.65m (north-south) x 2.22m x 1.7m high.  The chamber was constructed using both flat and rounded rocks and was sealed by a large capping stone.  There was sufficient evidence to sugest that there may have been an entrance passage of drop-hole feature leading north from the exposed end of the existing passageway.
A faunal report (by M. McCarthy) indicated the presence of cow and pig bones in and around the souterrain passage, with evidence suggesting that the slaughtering and primary butchery were carried out in the vicinity of the site.


Trench B flanked the existing hedgerow and revealed substantial amount of activity, including a series of four (mostly linear) parallel cut features.  Their nature and pattern were suggestive of agricultural (furrow) activity.  Two shallow pits were also exposed.   A curved, ditch like feature and a circular structure were also identified.   The shallow circular structure may have been a hut site; however, no associated stake or post-holes were identified.  This feature was outside the arc of the ditch-like trench.


Trenches C and D were to the south of Trenches A and B and failed to reveal any features of archaeological significance.
Ken Hanley, 44 Eaton Heights, Cobh, Co. Cork, for Byrne, Mullins & Associates.

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Excavations 1999, Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, Ed. By Isabel Bennett, Bray 2000, p. 239-240

698. Navan Sewerage Augmentation Scheme. Canal Bridge 98E0602. The Navan Sewerage Augmentation Scheme involved the insertion of sewerage pipes along several miles of road within a radius of c. 3 miles of Navan town.   The project had been ongoing for some years and was nearing completion when an archaeological assessment was commissioned in September 1998.  Monitoring commenced in January 1999, at which time there remained seven areas of operation.


Balreask Cross to Gainstown: no features of archaeological interest were identified.
Gainstown Road into Balreask Gardens (282m): no features of archaeological interest were identified.
Boyne Road (1320m): no features of archaeological interest were identified.
From Balmoral Industrial Estate past the rear of Navan Carpets and looping back along the Kells road (1141m): no features of archaeological interest were identified.
Starting on the new Inner Relief Road and leading south around Navan town centre to the Commons Road (1570m).  This route led diagonally across Circular Road and up to the County Council carpark.   It then led onto Railway Street, Carriage Road and along the rear of McDermott Villas to the Commons Road.   A buried canal bridge was identified on Circular Road, at the foot of Bridge Street.   This dated roughly to the late 1790’s and consisted of an arch c 1.5m high and c 7m wide.  The canal itself, which was intended as a western extension to the Drogheda-Navan canal, was never completed.
Pumping station between Convent Road and the River Boyne: no features of archaeological interest were identified.
New sewerage treatment plant in the townland of Ferganstown and Ballymackon, c.2 miles north-east of Navan, of the Boyne Road.   Most of this site had already been developed.  A souterrain passage was identified leading to a single beehive chamber.  This monument was excavated under a separate licence (see No. 687 above)
Ken Hanley, 44 Eaton Heights, Cobh, Co. Cork for Byrne, Mullins & Associates

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Excavations 1999, Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, Ed. By Isabel Bennett, Bray 2000, p. 240.
699. Navan Sewerage Scheme, Navan
No archaeological significance. SMR 25:28 (adjacent to) 288137 268374 99E0010
Navan sewerage scheme commenced in the early 1990’s.  The most recent phase is in operation since November 1998.  Clare Mullins completed an archaeological assessment of the route.  The line of the sewerage trench close to a Bronze Age cemetery site was monitored.  The trench was 1.2m wide and on average 2.8m deep.  A sandy silt soil overlay layers of gravel and limestone bedrock.
No archaeological stratigraphy was recorded in the trench.  No artefacts were recovered.
Jacinta Kiely, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Clover Hill, Mallow, Co. Cork.